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A Texas State University student鈥檚 enrollment ended after a video was posted showing him mocking conservative activist Charlie Kirk鈥檚 death, the latest in a series of removals across Texas campuses prompted by comments made about the killing.

The video, Tuesday morning on X, shows the student in a crowd slapping his neck several times, calling himself Kirk and at one point climbing the base of a statue and stating 鈥渕y name is Charlie Kirk鈥� before falling over. Kirk died after being shot in the neck on Sept. 10 during an event he was hosting at Utah Valley University.

The video sparked responses condemning the student鈥檚 mocking of Kirk, including from Gov. , who reshared the video and demanded Texas State University take action against the student.

鈥淓xpel this student immediately,鈥� Abbott said in a social media on X. 鈥淢ocking assassination must have consequences.鈥�

Six hours after Abbott鈥檚 request, Texas State University announced the person in the video had been identified and 鈥渨as no longer a student鈥� at the university, according to a from Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse. It was not immediately clear whether the student was expelled or voluntarily withdrew. In Damphousse鈥檚 statement, he called the video 鈥渄isturbing鈥� and condemned the student鈥檚 behavior.

鈥淚 will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses,鈥� Damphousse said.

The name of the student was not released by Damphousse in his statement, and said that federal law prevents the school from commenting on individual student conduct matters. Texas State University spokespeople did not immediately respond to questions about what policies may have been broken or what specific behavior from the student had triggered officials to act.

The end of the student鈥檚 enrollment is a convergence between two recent phenomena gripping Texas education: widespread conservative backlash against those who mock or criticize Kirk in the days since his killing, and viral videos of those in higher education leading to their removal from campus. Faculty and advocacy groups have expressed repeated that the wave of removals and firings for statements and actions by students and faculty amount to First Amendment violations and a clampdown on free speech.

A student at Texas Tech University was arrested for misdemeanor assault on Sept. 12 after a video of her demeaning Kirk and arguing with another student was shared on social media, including by Abbott.

And in K-12 schools, at least two teachers in Texas have been fired for online comments they made about Kirk and two have resigned. The Texas Education Agency said it has received it will investigate related to comments made about Kirk. Texas American Federation of Teachers president Zeph Capo condemned the investigations as a politically motivated 鈥渨itch hunt.鈥�

Comments made by those in higher education to matters unrelated to Kirk鈥檚 death have also prompted online criticism and calls for removals. On Sept. 10, Texas State University Professor Thomas Alter for comments he made during an online social conference that was unknowingly recorded and posted on social media.

And at Texas A&M University on Sept. 9, Professor Melissa McCoul was and the College of Arts and Sciences dean and a department head were removed from their positions. The firing and removals came after a video of a student confronting McCoul in her children鈥檚 literature course over gender identity content was posted online.

The shockwave of backlash on multiple fronts across the state, led and at times spurred by conservative lawmakers, comes as Texas universities are turning to more frequently to take on administrative roles at state institutions. Three state Republican lawmakers have been selected as chancellors of some of Texas鈥� largest university systems this year.

Republican lawmakers have also led efforts to restrict when and how students can protest on campus, claiming the new guidelines will help to avoid unsafe behavior seen at pro-Palestinian protests last year. restricts sound amplifying devices to be used in a disruptive manner and prohibits protests between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The restrictions in SB 2972 come five years after the Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2019 that aimed to bolster free speech protections on campus. was also authored and favored by Republicans, which created sanctions for students who interfere with others鈥� free speech and protects student organizations’ ability to invite speakers on campus.

Amid the public outcry, Damphousse pushed back on claims that the student鈥檚 actions in the video reflects on the university or its community as a whole in an email sent to Texas State University students. He also asked for 鈥渕easured response and dialogue鈥� amid the anxiety on campus.

鈥淛ust as the behavior in the video was reprehensible, attempts to spread the blame onto innocent students are also unacceptable,鈥� Damphousse said. 鈥淭he actions of one person do not reflect our entire community or the individuals in it.鈥�

This article originally appeared in at .

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

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